Fur, Inc, My Princess, and Other Stories
by Hadassa J
Summary: Ten short stories surrounding one of my all-time favorite DC pairings. Rated M for a few chapters.
1. Introduction

The title is really 'Fur, Inc., My Princess, and Other Stories', but FF doesn't allow periods in the title, fine.

Presenting ten short stories surrounding one of my all-time favorite DC pairings ^.^

Rated M for a few chapters.

1: **_Introduction_**

2: _**Fur, Inc.** _- Brin has just joined the Legion and sets to make himself more presentable now that he's been reacquainted with civilization, but it's proving more difficult than he imagined. Phantom Girl decides to help him!

3: **_Phantom Zone_ **- Revisiting the episode _Phantoms _to get a more in-depth look at what when on between TW and PG in this pivotal moment in the development of their relationship. Some events have been altered for the purpose of this story.

4: **_Kitchen Blues -_**Winema Wazzo plans to visit the Legion, and Phantom Girl seeks help from the Legion's resident chef to make a dinner worthy of a President. Meanwhile, Brainiac-5 suffers from another brain drain and Superman struggles to keep him contained.

5: Venus

6: Powers

7: A Glimpse of My Pain

8: **

9: Gender Bender

10: Flames of Purification

11: My Princess


	2. Fur, Inc

"And here's your room!" Superman said, stopping in front of one of the doors along the broad hallway. I guess that concluded the tour of Legion Headquarters, at least for the time being, because I knew I probably only saw about a tenth of the building. The Legion of Superheroes had just rescued me from Rawl that evening, and I guess they didn't want to flood me with too much information in one night when I was still trying to digest all that happened to me in the last year, thanks to my father…

"I'll show you the Legion conference room and the virtual training rooms tomorrow, but for now get some rest. Training starts first thing in the morning," Superman said, giving my shoulder a light pat before proceeding to leave.

"Hey Sups," I called out. He turned around and smiled, waiting to hear what I had to say.

"Thank you," I said. I figured saying something like 'I owe you one' would have been the understatement of the century. Who knows what my father would have done, would have turned me into, if I had stayed on Rawl any longer. As far as I was concerned, the Legion had all but saved my life.

"Heh, that's what we're here for," he replied, chuckling a bit. "And thank _you_, for joining our team."

And with that he left, disappearing along one of the many twists and turns of the vast Legion halls. I looked up and around my surroundings once more, wondering how I'd get back to the main lobby in the morning without losing my way. I shrugged it off; if I could expertly maneuver through the maze of the Rawlian jungles, this should be a piece of cake.

I pressed my thumb on the pad on the wall and the door slid open, revealing a neat, spacious room with a dark carpet, dark bed sheets, and dark window curtains. Hm, just the way I like it. I removed my Legion ring and belt and heard them _clank _as I set them on the desk. I saw a virtual screen on one of the walls that had all the Legion training schedules, upcoming meetings, missions, and shifts.

I flexed my arm again, feeling uncomfortable in the skintight material. Superman had told me aboard the ship that I'd get used to it, but I think I knew why my suit was tighter than normal. I removed my orange and black uniform and placed it on my bed. I was now back in the same red shorts the Legion found me in, and made my way to the bathroom.

I stilled when I saw my reflection. Besides the white streak running down the left side of my hair, I don't know if I would have been able to recognize myself. I was covered in dark, shaggy gray fur, and had pointy ears. I could spot some tiny twigs and leaves entwined along my hair strands from all that time in the Rawlian jungles. I ran a claw through my hair but couldn't get it passed a couple inches without painfully running into a knot.

My very own eyes frightened me. They didn't even look like natural wolf eyes. They were bright yellow with red slit pupils like a snake. They looked… _predatorial._ I blinked a few times and tore my gaze from the mirror.

I opened the cabinet and retrieved two shaving mini-bots. They were small, black, beetle-shaped robots that slowly ran along your body on a programmed path. I pressed the buttons on their backs to activate them and spread my arms out as they climbed and trailed along my limbs and chest and back. They trimmed my beard and sheared my gray coat down to a more reasonable thickness. When the mini-bots were done, they collected the heap of fur on the floor and swept it into a compartment in the corner, most likely to get burned.

I felt lighter already. My Legion uniform should fit better now. I grabbed one of the mini-bots to put it back and accidently scratched its metal back with my claw. Guess I'd have to file these nails down as well. Luckily the bathroom was also equipped with an auto-filer, a white, curved apparatus with ten holes I could slip my fingers into. I waited as I heard the gentle _hum_ of the machine as it filed away at my long nails. I pulled my fingers out, satisfied that they were shorter and neater, but still sharp as knives. I ran a finger along the curved, metal back of a mini-bot and saw that my nail now left a clean, narrow cut, rather than the jagged, splintered fissure like before. I would still need my sharp claws for battle, and if anyone was uncomfortable with that, they'd best learn to deal with it.

My hair definitely needed a trim, but I'll deal with it tomorrow, as it was already passed midnight and I didn't want to be drowsy during my first day of training.

…..

"Great job on the simulations this morning!" Superman complimented me as we exited the virtual training rooms.

"Yeah not bad, it even looked like Superman was having a hard time keeping up with ya," Lightning Lad teased, prompting Superman to punch his arm.

"Hello, hello!" We stopped when we heard a voice from above. I looked up and saw a girl in black and white making her way down the stairs. I recognized her as the daughter of the President of the United Planets.

"Phantom Girl, this is Timber Wolf, our newest member," Superman declared. Phantom Girl offered me her hand, and light reflected off her prominent Legion ring, identifying her as a Legionnaire. I had been cut off from civilization while on Rawl so I had no idea that the President's daughter had also joined the Legion.

"Sorry for missing your induction, I was on Bgztl with my mom," she said.

"Don't worry about it," I replied and shook her hand. Her entire hand got lost in my large paw. She told us she had to see Saturn Girl and left, and I didn't see her again that day.

…..

That night I was in my bathroom again, trying to comb through one of several nasty knots that wouldn't seem to go away. Two locks of hair were caught together along the middle of their length and I winced as I tried to pry them apart. My hair had never given me such issues before, and my arms were getting tired from being held up for so long. I gave up and headed to my virtual computer, deciding to order a product to fix this up. I looked online and found several shampoos, one in particular guaranteeing to "get rid of stubborn knots and tangles or your money back." That'll do. I tapped the screen and the product digitally appeared in front of me. I grabbed the bottle, went back to the bathroom and climbed into the shower. I lathered my scalp and let the shampoo run down my strands, but frowned when I realized the product wasn't helping.

It was actually making the knots worse. The tangles were starting to gather in wet clumps. I shut off the water, rubbed a towel over my head and looked in the mirror. My hair now sported a halo of frizz to complement all the tangles.

Damn. This was a nightmare. I frowned even more deeply as I stared at myself in the mirror, still not used to the stranger, the beast, that stared back at me. I, I wished…

"Tch," I shook my head and turned the light off. It had been a long day, and I sighed when I remembered that I'd have to get up at 6 tomorrow morning. That meant I was only gonna get 4 hours of sleep…

…..

I yawned as I made my way to the Legion gym, eyes tired and hair in a messy bun. I wore loose, dark blue pants and a sleeveless white undershirt for my workout session this morning. Phantom Girl was sitting on the table next to the gym doors, typing something on the virtual desktop. She smiled and waved at me, but I didn't wave back. I didn't feel like it. I felt her eyes on me as I typed in the passcode on the security pad on the wall to open the gym doors. I couldn't remember the last digit though…

"It's 7," Phantom Girl said. I side-glanced at her. I would've remembered it on my own if she had given me a second.

"You're welcome," she said. So now she wanted me to thank her for a favor I didn't ask her for?

"Is the doggy gonna ignore me all day or what?"

I froze mid-step as I was about to walk through the gym doors, and my right ear twitched. The fuck did she just call me? I don't care whose daughter she is, no one talks to me that way. I walked over to her and put my claws on the desk and brought my face up to about an inch from hers and said lowly and clearly, "Don't. You. _Ever_. Call me that. Got it?"

Phantom Girl stared back, eyes wide, and then looked annoyed. "Did someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?"

"Yeah well you started it," I said, and then walked into the gym. I heard her call my name but thankfully the doors had already closed.

I threw my towel over a bench and grabbed a metal bar and started doing pull-ups. A few minutes in, Phantom Girl came and leaned against the wall next me, arms crossed.

"You mad at me?" she asked. I ignored her and continued my pull-ups. She watched me in silence. I didn't care. When I got tired I jumped down and my hair fell out of my bun, tumbling down my shoulders in waves while I wrapped bandages around my fists to get ready for boxing.

"I like your hair," Phantom Girl said. I looked at her for a moment, and then faced the boxing bag as I got my fists into position.

"Well, that makes one of us," I said as I started punching. "My scalp hurts from trying to comb through all these tangles."

"I can help with that, there's a salon down the road and–"

"_Salon_?" I raised an eyebrow at her. "Nah. I'm not that desperate. Ouch." Phantom Girl had tried to touch my hair and her finger snagged one of the tangles.

"Meet me at 4 in the Legion lobby, and I guarantee you won't ever feel that again," she smirked and turned, and I watched her in disbelief as she left the gym. She couldn't be serious. I saw no reason why my hair shouldn't be back to normal after another good washing after this workout…

…..

Phantom Girl checked the time on her phone. It was 4:02. She started to wonder if this had been a silly idea and if Timber Wolf would think even less of her now. She shifted her weight from one leg to another. She had just wanted to help… Phantom Girl sighed and turned, deciding to forget this whole thing, when she heard the elevator _ding. _She spun around and watched as the elevator door slowly opened, and leaning against the side wall was a tall, dark, wolf-like young man in a leather jacket, dark jeans and shades. His long, wavy hair was tied back and he frowned as his head slowly turned to Phantom Girl. He pushed himself off the elevator's side wall, hands buried in his jean pockets as he walked over to her.

"Let's get this over with," Timber Wolf simply said.

"It's not sunny today, what do you need shades for?" Phantom Girl raised her hands up to Timber Wolf's face to take his sunglasses off. In a flash Timber Wolf had his claws wrapped around the girl's wrists.

"The shades stay, or you can forget this whole thing," Timber Wolf warned gruffly, throwing her hands back down.

"Um, fine," Phantom Girl said, giving him another annoyed look. Timber Wolf shoved his hands back into his pockets and gestured with his chin for her to get going. Phantom Girl rolled her eyes and grabbed his elbow, dragging him out of Legion HQ and down the street.

"Hey!" Timber Wolf nearly growled at her and yanked his arm out of her grip. Phantom Girl let out an exasperated sigh and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.

"What does it take to make you lighten up?!" Phantom Girl snapped, crossing her arms.

"What do _you_ care?" Timber Wolf snapped back.

The two Legionnaires stared each other down for a long moment before Phantom Girl looked to the side and laughed silently, shaking her head.

"Forget it," the girl said quietly. "Come on, the salon's the next building."

…..

I removed my shades once we entered the salon, relieved that there were hardly any customers. Phantom Girl immediately ran up to the salon owner and they greeted each other with air kisses. They spoke for a brief moment and then looked over at me. I looked away. I put my shades in my front jacket pocket and looked around the multi-colored, high-tech cosmetic parlor. There were only two other ladies sitting on the far wall under virtual hair dryers. Both were preoccupied with cybernetic magazines to care about the wolf-boy who just waltzed in.

…..

I ran up behind Timber Wolf and grabbed his arm with both of mine, dragging him to one of the levitating, curved, black salon chairs. I took off my white gloves and threw them on the table. I grabbed his shoulders and whirled him around to remove his leather jacket. As the jacket slid down his arms, I saw that he was wearing a particularly close-fitting, long-sleeved black shirt that showed the form of his slim, well-built arms.

"What?" I heard him say. I shook my head and quickly looked up to find Timber Wolf looking over his shoulder at me.

"Nothing," I said, placing his leather jacket to the side. "Where'd you get that shirt anyway, it looks nice."

"I don't remember," he said flatly, and sat down.

"Hm! Typical guy," I yanked back his shirt collar and looked at the tag. "Armani wool. You're a real wolf in sheep's clothing."

"Enough with the shitty comments, alright?" Timber Wolf said, looking up at me as I looked down at him from behind the chair.

"Fine, fine," I sighed, carefully removing his hair tie. "I'm more of a cat person anyway. Now relax!"

I turned the water on before he could retort to my jests. I squeezed a generous amount of the shampoo the salon manager gave me onto my palm and rubbed it all around the top of his head. After a few moments I could visibly see that his formerly tense shoulders were beginning to relax. I slowly worked the shampoo into a gentle lather and firmly massaged his scalp. When I got to an area behind his ears, I thought I heard an odd, soft, rumbling sound coming from him.

"Are you purring?" I asked, and watched in amusement as his eyes shot open, clearly caught off-guard.

"No. You're hearing things," he said, brows furrowed in irritation. "Besides, wolves don't purr, they growl. I'm not a freaking kitten."

"Mmhm, alright," I giggled silently. I myself was enjoying the shampoo's scent as the bubbles gently floated up around me. Eventually Timber Wolf relaxed again and closed his eyes as I continued the wash. He had _a lot _of hair, and it was full of knots, but I took my time to gently loosen each tangle. I rinsed away the shampoo and saturated his hair with conditioner, and then I grabbed a comb and ran it through his hair, pleased that it glided through his strands with ease.

"Comb your hair while in the shower, and start from the bottom and work your way up to the roots," I instructed him quietly while combing through his dark, drenched locks.

…..

One eye fluttered open when I heard Phantom Girl say something. I had fallen asleep again from how great the massage felt. I hadn't felt any pain when she combed through my hair. She rinsed my hair again and rung it out, and then I heard the sound of a blow dryer behind me. She combed the end of the blow dryer through my hair as it blasted warm air streams over my scalp. Phantom Girl then came around to the front to continue drying over me. I didn't mind at first, but then noticed something that made the situation very awkward.

Her boobs were right in my face. I saw the little ghost dude in the center moving around with each motion of her arms and shoulders. I tried to look to the side but my peripheral vision was so sharp now that I could clearly still see her chest.

"Maybe I should…" I started to turn my body around in the chair but she grabbed my shoulders and turned me to face forward again.

"What are you doing? This is the best angle for me," she said, and continued drying, apparently not realizing the predicament she was putting me in.

Dammit. I settled with shutting my eyes as tightly as I could for the rest of the drying. When I heard the dryer shut off, I waited another second or two before cautiously opening my eyes. Phantom Girl had now stepped back a few feet away, and she held her phone in front of her, smiling at me.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Nothing," she replied innocently, still smiling. I hesitated before turning to the side to view myself in one of the salon mirrors, and then did a double take. My hair was puffed out and hung wildly all over my head and shoulders, making me look more like a lion than a wolf. I looked back at Phantom Girl, who was still smirking but cautiously backing away.

"You just took a photo of me," I accused, getting up from the chair.

"No I didn't!" Phantom Girl giggled and started moving away, but I was already coming toward her. No way in hell was she gonna send that pic back to the Legion. Lightning Lad would never let me live it down.

Phantom Girl ran to the other side of the parlor and went behind the front desk. I came up behind the other side and when she moved one way I would also move in that direction to block her off. I decided to trick her and slightly moved to the left, and she ran around to the right, falling for it. I easily caught up to her and grabbed her from behind, snatching her up off the ground as she screamed and laughed, kicking her feet back and forth.

"That tickles!" she shouted, my fingers gently pressing into her belly and she tried to squirm away. The two ladies under the virtual dryers were now staring at our little scene. I snatched the phone out of her loose grip. Phantom Girl tried to grab it but I kept turning my body around to block her. I found the image and deleted it.

"Nooooo! Why'd you delete it?!" Phantom Girl whined.

"I looked ridiculous," I snorted, tossing her phone back to her.

"I thought you looked cute!" she said. I looked at her, and then she looked down, seemingly shy that she just said that.

I looked over at the two women, who were still staring at us, covering their giggles with their hands. I turned back to Phantom Girl and gestured at my hair, which was even bigger now from chasing her around.

"Well, you gonna fix this up or what? Obviously I can't go out in public like this."

She pouted and walked by me, arms crossed, but I saw her go back to our station and retrieve what looked like a hair straightener. I walked back to the black chair and sat back down, eyeing her with a look that clearly said 'You better not try anything funny.'

After about ten minutes, Phantom Girl stepped around me again, all smiles.

"Alright, all done!"

I got up and walked over to the mirror. Although I wasn't comfortable with my reflection, I had to make sure she didn't make me look like a curly-q'ed poodle or some shit like that.

Thankfully my hair was flattened down to its normal size. It was smooth and neat, with no frizz or tangle in sight. I grabbed the nearest brush on the table and ran it easily through one side of my hair. I looked at the brush, pleased that the bristles were empty. I heard Phantom Girl cleaning up somewhere behind me.

"Hey what products are these anyway?" I called over my shoulder, picking up one of the shampoo bottles I believed she used. The labeling read: 'Fur, Inc. – all you need for fur, coats, and manes for a healthy glow and brilliant sheen!'

Well damn, guess I'd have to get used to these kinds of products. I couldn't use the soaps and shampoos for regular humans anymore, but would have to accustom myself to animal grooming, thanks to the experiments my father performed on me…

I hadn't noticed how hard I was clenching the bottle until Phantom Girl came up beside me and gently put her hand over mine.

"You ok?" she asked, genuinely concerned. I withdrew my hand from hers, setting the bottle down.

"Yeah... Um, look, thanks, for all this," I told her.

"No problem, at least now the big bad wolf will stop huffing and puffing," she smirked.

I narrowed my eyes at her, clearly not amused. I grabbed my jacket and put it back on, and stepped around her to leave. She sighed and followed right behind me.

"Oh come ON! Can't you take a joke? Laugh a little bit?"

Phantom Girl didn't see me grab a salon hose from one of the nearby stations in front of me. I spun around and opened the valve, and water came gushing out, splashing all over her face and the upper part of her Legion uniform. She gasped and stood there, stunned.

"Yeah, laugh _that_ up," I said, and plopped the hose back into its socket. I exited the doors of the salon and on my way back to HQ, the corners of my mouth couldn't help but curve up a little.


	3. Phantom Zone

[_Lions, Tigers, and Apes – Jake Chudnow_]

"Well, whaddya say?" Phantom Girl asked quietly. She wasn't looking directly at him. She was looking down at his hand, which was in both of hers.

"…I'm not really sure what to say," Timber Wolf replied, also not looking directly at her.

The wind blew wisps of their dark hair around their faces as the two Legionnaires stood on the rooftop of Legion Tower, which afforded them a spectacular view of New Metropolis. It was a bustling day in the 31st century high-tech city, with flying cars passing along every which way. Everyone was going about their business, getting their work done – Phantom Girl thought that she too could just go about her days like that while being a member of the Legion of Superheroes. However, the time she spent with her teammate made her realize that she was unsatisfied with 'business-as-usual'. She wanted that deeper connection with someone, someone who understood her and that she understood in return. But at the moment she couldn't quite understand why that particular someone was hesitant to be more than just friends with her. It was as clear as the New Metropolis skies, and as palpable as the gentle morning breeze, that they had feelings for each other. Everyone at HQ could see it – how he steadfastly defended her whenever Garth would try to make her answer for her mother's political decisions, how he fiercely protected her in battle, or even how he would bake cupcakes for the Legion but put extra little decorations on hers…

Phantom Girl continued to look down, preoccupying herself with stroking Timber Wolf's hand and playing with his Legion ring, to hide the disappointment and confusion on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm not ready," he nearly interrupted her. "I'm just not ready yet."

Timber Wolf turned and walked away, his hand gently slipping from Phantom Girl's delicate grip. She watched as he leaped from the Legion Tower and landed on another building, running and jumping from rooftop to rooftop until she lost sight of him among the flurry of urban life.

_What is it then_, the girl thought as a single tear ran down her cheek, the wind carrying the droplet away towards the Sun. _Is it the pain your father's memory brings you that makes you not want to be close? Or am I simply not good enough, and just mistaking your kindness for affection? _

….. Later that day …..

Timber Wolf growled as he swiftly swung his claw through an enemy, but his attack was ineffective. His entire arm went right through the monster, one of the many they currently faced in the dark and hostile Phantom Zone. The Legion had been handling the emergency situation when Drax and his pets threatened the city, but as Superman wrestled with Drax, they became trapped in the Phantom Zone with these zombie-like creatures. With their intangibility powers negating all physical attacks, it appeared this would be one of their most difficult Legion missions yet.

Timber Wolf grunted as he received a hit to the face from one of the enemies. Just then, Phantom Girl came in front of him and delivered a kick to the monster's midsection. Timber Wolf frowned. Apparently her phantom powers made her the only one able to touch the prisoners. But they were becoming too numerous, surrounding the Legion in hordes as the situation became frighteningly more dangerous.

"Everyone gather around me!" Brainy called out. The five Legionnaires came together as Brainiac-5 generated a magenta-colored protective barrier around them all, keeping the zombie-like prisoners at bay for at least a few minutes. However, as the young android tried to develop a stratagem for escape, the criminals' attacks were beginning to breach his defensive barrier. One of them ripped a small hole through the energy barrier and was trying to pry it open. Without wasting any more time, Phantom Girl sprang into action. The ghost-girl leaped out of the barrier and kicked the monster square in the jaw, sending him careening off into the dark, foggy Phantom Zone space. On the other side, another monster was banging against the shield, creating jagged, white cracks that could break Brainy's weakening energy bubble at any moment. Phantom Girl leaped over the bubble and pounced on the monster just before he delivered the final hit. Just then, two more monsters gathered around her, and then three, and then four. Phantom Girl fought off each enemy, trying to buy time. Timber Wolf clenched his fists and growled angrily. He and the rest of the Legionnaires could only watch as Phantom Girl fought enemy after enemy all on her own.

Who knew how much time passed in the Phantom Zone, for it seemed Phantom Girl was fighting nonstop. Her white cape was torn, she was missing a glove, and she had scratches and bruises all over her arms. Her limbs were getting heavy, and it was becoming harder and harder for her to dodge incoming attacks. She was sweating, and a few black hair strands clung to her forehead. Her pale cheeks were flushed, and she was breathing heavily from the constant punching, kicking, jumping, dodging, spinning, and also from the hits she was receiving from the zombie-monsters. While she was combatting one enemy, another enemy came up behind her and slammed her from the back, causing her to stagger forward. Yet a third monster came and started punching her. She held her arms up in defense to block it, but the blows were quickly overpowering her from her weakened state.

"Think of something!" Timber Wolf yelled angrily at Brainiac-5 for what seemed like the hundredth time. "We can't just stand here, she's exhausted!"

Brainy hesitated, looking genuinely plagued. "There's nothing we can do."

Before Timber Wolf could shout at the android again, he and everyone else heard all the Phantom Zone criminals start to howl and wail.

"Look there!" Saturn Girl shouted as she pointed upwards in the other direction. In the distance they saw a figure surrounded by white light floating towards them. All the Phantom Zone criminals backed away in fear and awe, and got down on their knees and prostrated to the angelic figure who emanated pure evil from his presence. The white light closed behind him and they saw none other than the red-and-black clad super villain who trapped them all there. Brainiac-5 carefully observed Drax's entry into the Phantom Zone, realizing there was a way he could calculate their escape. The android's mind buzzed to form the most efficient, coherent plan.

"His intention is to free his family and the rest of the prisoners from the Phantom Zone," Saturn Girl declared, worried eyes glowing pink.

"What about Clark? What happened to him?" Lightning Lad asked, concerned about what must have happened to Superman if Drax was roaming freely between the two worlds.

"I can't get a reading on anyone outside of here," Saturn Girl said disappointedly.

Timber Wolf growled at the enemy, his fists up and ready, but his bold display seemed to go unnoticed. Drax turned his head slightly to the left, setting his wicked gaze on a single target. Like a flash of lightning, and at thunderous, god-like speeds that only Superman could achieve, Drax dived straight for Phantom Girl, who was still outside the bubble, weakened and wounded. Before Timber Wolf could even register what had happened, his eyes widened in horror as he heard a pained shout from Phantom Girl. Timber Wolf's hands were up against Brainy's shield as he saw her doubled-over on her knees, a small bit of blood dripping from the side of her mouth. Drax was slowly and pompously floating around her in a circle. Phantom Girl struggled to get back up, but then Drax spun around and kicked her, making her fall again.

"Oh my, were you trying to get up? Hahaha!" Drax cackled maliciously. "Stay down if you know what's good for you, girl."

Drax bent over and grabbed Phantom Girl's face with his hand. His black, stiletto nails dug into the flesh of her cheeks as he forced her to look at him. Defiant, steel-grey eyes met red, hate-filled orbs as the young villain uttered his warning.

"You may be the daughter of the President of the United Planets, but _I _am the prince of this realm. You'd do well for yourself to learn that!" Drax loosened his grip on her face, and used his other hand to gently stroke her cheek.

"But do not worry, my dear girl. Once I take over your world I will have a very special position for you, as my personal servant!"

If Phantom Girl had the strength to slap him, to even spit in his face, she would have. But she was so fatigued from the constant fighting that she fainted. Timber Wolf on the other hand had had enough of this, and his strength was compounded with newfound rage at Drax for hurting and insulting Phantom Girl. Words needed not be uttered between the wolf boy and his android teammate, for Brainy knew Timber Wolf wanted to get to Phantom Girl, so he opened the barrier for him. Timber Wolf leaped out and released a mighty roar as he charged at Drax, but he passed right through him. Drax spun around and kicked Timber Wolf's back the moment he was behind him.

Timber Wolf turned and glared angrily at the evil phantom prince when he realized something: his back didn't hurt that much from the kick. Timber Wolf had sparred with Superman long enough to get used to his level of strength and hold his own during training. If Drax was only as strong as Clark, Timber Wolf may be able to overpower him if he was smart about how to come at him. He could defeat him if only there were a way to make him tangible! It frustrated the wolfen Legionnaire beyond measure.

"You better be lucky you ain't solid, or else I'd snap that scrawny neck of yours!" Timber Wolf threatened.

"You can try to stop me, furry one, but it is clear that I am the victor," Drax stated proudly, and then sunk his head low and whispered menacingly, "Imagine what price the President would be willing to bargain to get her poor daughter back. My parents and I will rule the galaxies, and my brothers and sisters will enslave your people!" The prisoners released thrilled cheers and thunderous war-cries in anticipation.

"Neither you nor any of your Legion friends will stop me!" Drax lifted his leg, preparing to stomp down on Phantom Girl, when Timber Wolf lunged and grabbed her, holding her limp form close to his body. If he couldn't attack Drax, at least he could protect Phantom Girl.

"I will make them regret banishing us into the Phantom Zone!" Drax yelled, his army of prisoners hollering behind him. His eyes glared daggers at the two Legionnaires. Timber Wolf crouched protectively over the unconscious Phantom Girl, baring his teeth and snarling with just as much hate and anger that Drax threw at him.

Brainiac-5 floated his protective sphere over to them, and Timber Wolf climbed back inside with Phantom Girl in his arms. He gently set her down and Saturn Girl knelt down on her other side to tend to her, slowly running her glowing pink hands over Phantom Girl as the young android proposed his plan.

"The portal between the Phantom Zone and our world only has enough energy to open one more time. Drax was going to use that opportunity to unleash the Phantom Zone prisoners into our dimension, but if we work together, we can use it to free ourselves, and lock Drax and the rest of the enemies in the Phantom Zone permanently," Brainy rationalized.

"What do we need to do? We don't have much more time and Phantom Girl needs medical attention," Saturn Girl said, looking out as Drax and the other enemies started to gather around Brainy's defensive sphere again.

"What are you all plotting in there?" Drax taunted as he pounded on the shield.

"I had actually thought of this a little while ago, but tried to look for other options that wouldn't risk Phantom Girl's life any further, but couldn't think of any," Brainy said, his usually stoic demeanor edging toward solemnity.

"What do you mean by that?" Timber Wolf growled lowly at the android, confusion and anger mixing in his yellow, piercing eyes.

"We will all need to fly at the same speed together, and Phantom Girl will need to phase us all out of the Phantom Zone. But there's a significant probability that her body will not be able to handle that level of strain," Brainy explained.

"You mean, she might not make it," Saturn Girl said, looking down at her friend.

"Absolutely not," Timber Wolf stated unapologetically. "If her life's at stake, think of another plan-"

"I'll do it." Saturn Girl and Timber Wolf looked down at Phantom Girl, whose determined eyes were opened wide. "I've never phased that many people before but…" the girl struggled to sit up, and the two helped her to stand.

[_Beyoncé – XO_]

"You don't have to do this," Timber Wolf said, his gruff voice having a softer tone as he looked at her, but Phantom Girl was looking forward. Timber Wolf followed her gaze, which was directed at Drax and his army, who were coming close to penetrating the shield. He looked back at her with a worried expression, realizing she was determined to help get everyone out of here no matter the costs.

_Your love is bright as ever, even in the shadows…_

_Baby kiss me, before they turn the lights out…_

The five Legionnaires got into formation, with Brainy in the lead and Phantom Girl above, all flying in unison, faster and faster. The increasing speed caused many Phantom Zone criminals to fall off their bubble, which lightened their weight, allowing them to fly even faster. A brilliant white light surrounded them as they flew at velocities they've never reached before.

_Your heart is glowing, and I'm crashing into you…_

As Brainiac-5 read off the figures, Timber Wolf looked up at Phantom Girl for what he hoped wouldn't be the last time.

_We don't have forever, baby daylight's wasting… _

_You better kiss me, before our time has run out…_

Her black hair billowed behind her, her arms were spread out before her, her eyes and face set forward in resolve and courageousness.

She looked so beautiful in that white light.

_In the darkest night hour, I search through the crowd_

_Your face is all that I see, I'll give you everything, _

_Baby love me, lights out_

"Now!" Brainiac-5 commanded, and Phantom Girl phased them all.

"Noooo!" Drax yelled as he almost ripped through bubble, but the blinding white light completely consumed them.

…..

"Are you guys alright?!" Superman asked worriedly after witnessing his teammates' dramatic high-speed exit from the Phantom Zone. Timber Wolf sat up and looked around at his groaning teammates, and stilled as realization painfully hit him that not all of them had made it. Saturn Girl covered her mouth in shock, and Brainy lowered his head despondently. Superman shifted his gaze from one teammate to another as they held a moment of silence, when he sensed something. He heard, no, _felt_, the micromovements of the particles around them, a faint, pulsating throb of energy and life through the air.

Even Saturn Girl detected it: thoughts, emotions, memories, sensations, once scattered but now joining back together as the whole, loving, caring being she came to call her best friend.

Relief replaced devastation in the hearts of the superhero teens as Phantom Girl's form slowly faded into existence in the middle of the room.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," the girl stated before falling on the floor. Timber Wolf put a hand on his head and couldn't help but smile.

…..

Timber Wolf stood in the Legion kitchen, slowly stirring a pot of soup. His mind wandered to Phantom Girl, who was in the Legion's hospital recovery wing. The memory of Phantom Girl standing in front of him to kick the enemies he couldn't defeat flashed across his mind unwelcomingly, and he sighed.

He wanted to fight her battles for her, he didn't want _her_ to fight for _him_. However, the battle in the Phantom Zone made him realize that she wanted to protect him just as much as he wanted to protect her. There would be times when he just couldn't protect her because of the differences in the nature of their powers. He would just have to trust in her abilities as a Legionnaire to be able to take care of herself…

No matter how difficult that would be…

He would often find himself helping her in any way he could, from blocking an enemy that charged at her, to picking up something she just happened to drop. It was almost instinctual; he couldn't help himself even if she protested. _Which she does all the time_, the young man smiled to himself. He noticed he was already at her hospital room door. Lost in his thoughts, he had walked himself to the recovery wing with a bowl of soup on a tray. The electronic door softly hissed as it opened for him.

"Feeling better?" Timber Wolf asked as he made his way to her bed. Phantom Girl sat up, visibly brightening up at the sight of him.

"Hey, I was just thinking about you." She was in a plain white gown, with bandages wrapped around her forearms and a small band-aid on her cheek. She wasn't wearing her round white hair clips so her black hair fell about her, outlining the gentle roundness of her face.

"How's your stomach? Still feeling queasy?"

"I feel much better, thanks to you. Your food's all that I can keep down." Phantom Girl smiled as Timber Wolf set the tray in front of her, enjoying the smell of the delicious, hearty chicken soup with thick noodles he made himself.

"Thanks for nursing me back to health," she said. Timber Wolf chuckled, flashing her a smile.

"No problem," he said, taking a seat on the chair next to her bed.

"And for holding my hair back when I barfed," Phantom Girl said sheepishly, and they both shared a laugh before she took her spoon to start eating.

"Hey, what are boyfriends for?"

Phantom Girl stopped her spoon midway to her mouth and stared at Timber Wolf, her brain taking a moment to process what she had just heard.

"Boyfriend?" she repeated, heart pace quickening. Timber Wolf smiled again and nodded.

"You-You mean… you _do_ want us to go out?" she stuttered, unable to control her widening smile. Timber Wolf sat closer and gently ran his fingers through her black hair, moving the strands that covered her face behind her ear. Phantom Girl felt a tingle go down her spine at the sensation of his claws on the skin of her ear, her cheek, her jawline, and then settling on her chin. He held her gaze firmly, no longer afraid to look directly at her, no longer wanting her to look away.

"I realized two things during that battle in the Phantom Zone," Timber Wolf began. "One, how incredibly strong and brave you are."

"Hehe," Phantom Girl blushed lightly, "and the other?"

"How important you are to me," he said. Timber Wolf looked at Phantom Girl so lovingly she forgot to breathe. She became lost in his eyes, and before she realized the space between them had narrowed, he was already kissing her. Their first kiss was gentle, yet held all the meaning their bond carried. It said _I missed you, I almost lost you, _and _I never want to miss a moment with you again_.

Timber Wolf ended the kiss, his left ear twitching up as though he heard something. Phantom Girl hadn't realized she had wrapped her arms around his neck. She was disappointed that the kiss had ended but Timber Wolf turned back to her and smiled.

"I can hear the oven from here," he explained. "Baked bread's ready."

"Oh," Phantom Girl said, smiling back. She loosened her grip around the young man's neck and trailed her hands down his arms to his hands as he stood. He gently squeezed her hands for a moment before turning to leave. When his hands slipped from her fingers, she did not feel empty. This time, they left with a promise of return, and that made Phantom Girl smile from ear to ear.

The moment the door slid shut behind him, Phantom Girl flopped happily back onto her pillow, her hair scattering all over her face again.

"Wow! Wow! Eeeeeeek!" she grabbed another pillow and softly screeched into it. She stopped when she realized her movement was rattling her tray of food. Still grinning, she cleared her throat and composed herself, sitting up again to eat her soup and await her lover's return.

…..

Note: Inspired by recent events and a friend who was diagnosed with an illness. Beyoncé's _XO_ reminds us that whether we are out for a walk or exploring outer space, our safe return is not guaranteed. Love now, and smile more. Definitely not advocating "Yolo, rush into things", just saying don't wait too long to take opportunities presented to you. If things don't work out, at least you have that experience.


	4. Kitchen Blues

"What?! My mom's coming here _this evening_?!" Phantom Girl screeched in the middle of the Legion conference room, earning her wide-eyed stares from Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl.

"Yes…" replied an annoyed Cosmic Boy from the large holographic screen. He sighed and continued, "I spoke with RJ Brande about our general concerns regarding the lack of support for the Legion from the intergalactic community. He helped me construct an official Legion charter and spoke with the President. Brande, the President, and two other delegates will be visiting us tonight for dinner, so this is our chance to convince them of the legitimacy of our group. I will also be there."

"Ugh, this is terrible," Phantom Girl groaned. "Why didn't she tell me?"

"Your mom is a busy woman," Saturn Girl consoled. "Don't be upset about a surprise visit. If anything we should be thankful that the President is trying to strengthen ties with the Legion."

"Psh, yeah right," Lightning Lad scoffed. "If she really wants to 'strengthen ties' why not get the Science Police off our asses instead of having dinners with us?"

"_Lightning Lad_," Saturn Girl glared at the young man, who brushed off her warning with a shrug.

"That's actually one of the amendments of the charter," Cosmic Boy explained. "If we get the politicians to sign this document, it would increase our funding, expand our diplomatic relations, and we'd be able to build headquarters on other planets."

"How are we supposed to get everything ready?" Phantom Girl asked, spreading her arms out and letting them drop back down to her sides. "Where are we going to order a decent dinner in time?"

"We actually have an even bigger concern than that," the blonde telepath interjected. "It's that time again for the Alignment on Planet Colu. Brainy, being outside the Collective, won't be himself."

Phantom Girl groaned in exasperation as she recalled the stress of dealing with their android teammate's antics during the previous Coluan Alignment.

"Well this should be interesting," Lightning Lad snickered.

"I'm confident you guys will take care of things by the time we arrive. I need to make some last minute arrangements before the dinner. Good luck. Cos, signing out."

Phantom Girl sunk into the nearest chair and put her head down on the table, burying her face in her arms.

"Cheer up," Saturn Girl said, touching the girl's shoulder. "I'll go make sure Superman is keeping Brainy contained in his chamber."

"Yeah, don't worry," Lightning Lad said to Phantom Girl. "I'm sure Timber Wolf could just hop on the ship and get some Zuunium to make Brainy normal again. Oh wait, do we have time for that? Nope! Ha!"

Phantom Girl was about to snap at the red-haired teen, but an idea lit up in her head as she realized something. "Timber Wolf, of course! Lightning Lad you're a genius!" she said, pulling the boy into a tight hug.

"Yeah, I am, now get off me," the boy choked. He didn't need to repeat himself, because Phantom Girl was already rushing out of the conference room.

…..

Chameleon Boy and Timber Wolf were sitting on high stools in the large Legion kitchen laughing and talking. Cham was munching on freshly washed green grapes and Timber Wolf was eating a round, red and orange fruit, using a large kitchen knife to cut slices of it and put it in his mouth.

"So I told Clark look man, Rokk's the type of dude that reminds his teacher that he has a detention," Cham said, earning him a chuckle from the taller, wolf-like Legionnaire. Just then, Phantom Girl ran into the kitchen.

"Timber Wolf! Timber Wolf! I need your help! My mom and a bunch of other people are coming to dinner this evening! Think you'd be able to prepare a big feast for us?"

"Oh, is that tonight? My dad told me about that like two weeks ago," Cham said nonchalantly, inspecting a grape before popping it in his mouth.

"So you knew? Why didn't you tell me?" Phantom Girl asked.

"I thought you of all people would know," Cham retorted.

As the two bickered back and forth, Timber Wolf sharply spat out a seed from his mouth, which made a perfect trajectory into the trash bin.

"I'm honored by your confidence in my catering abilities," Timber Wolf said, gruff words delicately laced with subtle sarcasm, "but why should I help you?" He cut another slice of the red orange fruit and bit into the morsel, slightly baring his teeth as his mouth grazed the knife. For a split second Phantom Girl wondered which was sharper: the butcher knife, or his fangs.

"Because you're amazing at cooking and baking and maybe you can impress them with an awesome dinner so that they'll sign the Legion charter?" Phantom Girl begged innocently.

Timber Wolf regarded her for a moment before shrugging and saying, "Alright."

"Really?! Oh thank you so much!" Phantom Girl wrapped her arms around Timber Wolf's shoulders in a quick embrace before turning to leave. Almost immediately she was pulled back, and she turned to see that Timber Wolf had grabbed her wrist.

"Where do you think you're going?" Timber Wolf said, pulling her towards him.

"Huh?" Phantom Girl asked, not understanding what was happening.

"You're gonna help me," Timber Wolf explained.

"Wha-, but I don't know how to cook!"

"Then I'll teach you. You didn't think you could just waltz in here and tell me to cook an entire meal all on my own, did you?"

Phantom Girl blinked for a moment before sheepishly grinning. "Hehehe, of course not! Heh..."

"Good," Timber Wolf said, finally letting her go and pointing in the other direction. "Now go over there and get out a cutting board. Wash your hands and cut up all the vegetables on the first rack in the fridge. I'll get started on the main course and baking the dessert."

"Oh, oh! I'll help too! What can I do?" Cham said excitedly and jumped out of his high chair.

Timber Wolf used his finger to tap the air in front of him, and a small virtual display screen popped up. He entered a few things onto the screen and waved his hand, and the virtual screen moved through the air over to Cham.

"Go to the nearest supermarket and buy these ingredients," was all Timber Wolf said, his back turned to his Durlan teammate as he busied himself with gathering various cooking utensils.

"Ay-ay captain!" Cham saluted before running off.

Phantom Girl frowned as she rolled up her sleeves and got out the vegetables as Timber Wolf had instructed. She felt bad – not because she had to do work, but because she inconsiderately thought she wouldn't have to. Truthfully, she didn't want Timber Wolf to think that she was some kind of spoiled brat…

There was silence as the two teammates worked at opposite ends of the kitchen, the only sounds being running water and the clanking of pots.

…..

Saturn Girl walked through the Legion corridors towards the area she knew Brainy chose to seclude himself while he experienced the effects of the Alignment. When she arrived, her heart skipped a beat when she saw the door to the chamber open and Superman lightly banging his head against the wall.

"Clark?" she asked, startling the young man. "Where's Brainy?"

"Hey! Uhm, well, you see, hehehehe," Clark rubbed the back of his head. She didn't need telepathy to see the embarrassment clearly written on his face.

"_Again_, Clark?!" Saturn Girl glared at her teammate. She marched right up to the Kryptonian and yanked him by the ear. Clark was surprised; she usually only did that to Lightning Lad, and even then it was only when he was in _really big_ trouble.

"Go find him," Saturn Girl warned before pushing him down the corridor. "We have an important dinner tonight!"

…..

Phantom Girl whacked at the cutting board, trying and miserably failing to cut the vegetables laid out before her. She became frustrated with a peeled carrot that refused to stay in place whenever she attempted to chop it. She didn't want this to take forever, so she gripped the knife handle with both hands and began jabbing down at the carrot, satisfied that it was at least yielding some cut pieces, however jagged-looking.

Timber Wolf was monitoring two pots of boiling food when he heard the erratic pounding behind him. He frowned and slowly turned around to glare at his teammate. Slightly curious as to why she was using so much energy to chop vegetables, the young man made his way over to her station. He peered over her shoulder…

…and face-palmed.

The girl was literally stabbing the carrot. Timber Wolf could only shake his head and chuckle at the scene.

Phantom Girl looked over her shoulder to find Timber Wolf laughing at her. She scowled and narrowed her eyes, but her face softened when she saw how cute Timber Wolf actually looked, laughing shyly with his Cheshire grin that curved ever so slightly at the corners. She almost wanted him to keep laughing, as a smile from Brin Londo was a rare sight, but she had to ask, "What's so funny?"

"The way you cut vegetables," he answered, crossing his arms.

"What does it matter how they're cut?"

"_You're doing it wrong_."

"Ugh, I wish you'd stop telling me what to do!"

"And I wish you'd stop acting like a princess."

Phantom Girl abruptly turned back to her vegetables and lifted her knife to continue where she had left off. She'd cut them however way she wanted! Phantom Girl took a good look at the roughly hacked vegetable fragments scattered about the cutting board, some had even fallen off the sides onto the counter.

It really looked like a mess.

Phantom Girl sighed and hung her head low, slowly lowering the knife back down. Why couldn't she do this?

Just then, two long, muscular arms came around from behind and calmly took hold of her wrists. Phantom Girl blushed and felt butterflies in her belly. _Timber Wolf was standing right behind her._ She watched as his left hand guided her left hand to gather three fresh carrots. Then his right hand wrapped around hers, slowly maneuvering her fingers to establish the right grip on the knife. His touch was surprisingly gentle, she noted, yet she knew that they held a mighty strength within them. She felt intrigued that the very claws that could rip through countless enemies in battle and tear robots to shreds could hold her so softly.

"Hold the ends this way, and slice at an angle," Timber Wolf patiently began, slowly guiding her right hand up and down as they sliced along the carrots, leaving trails of perfectly cut sections.

"Keep the pointed end down, and just guide the blade along, you don't need to put much force into it," he continued. "As for the asparagus, there's a slightly different technique…"

Timber Wolf used his own hand to reach for the tall green bundles, and as he did so his chest gently brushed up against Phantom Girl's back. She initially tensed, but then her nose caught an extraordinarily pleasant and unusual mix of aromas – warm cinnamon and the scent of freshly baked goods, intertwined with the deep, wooden fragrance of a summer forest. Phantom Girl breathed in and slowly closed her eyes…

…and she was no longer there.

She was not in the Legion kitchen. In fact, she was not even at HQ. When the girl's eyes fluttered open, she found herself in a lush meadow surrounded by mountains and rays of sunlight. She was wearing a long, white summertime dress that gently billowed around her ankles in the warm breeze. She stretched her arms to the sky and smiled, feeling as though she could go wherever the wind takes her.

And right now, the wind blew towards the nearby forest, so that was where she went.

The young woman ran through the forest, enjoying every sight and sound, her jet black hair bouncing from side to side. With skin so pale and the delicate fabric of her dress gliding across her limbs, one would think a ghost was flying through the woods.

Outside the forest, she found herself in a quiet clearing. She picked up some lavender and yellow flowers before catching sight of a cottage, gorgeous in its natural décor yet welcoming in its simplicity. The smell of apple pie from the cottage delighted her senses, and the girl happily made her way to the humble abode.

When she opened the door, her grey eyes widened at what she saw.

Leaning against the kitchen counter was a shirtless Timber Wolf, whose long, dark hair blew behind and about him from the draft that Phantom Girl had just let in. He held the steaming hot apple pie in one hand and gestured at her with the other.

"I've been waiting for you, Tinya," he said, smiling at her. Phantom Girl brought the flowers up to her face to hide her blush and batted her eyelashes.

"Got it?"

"Huh?!" Phantom Girl was immediately ripped from her reverie as her consciousness reclaimed the reality of the large, cold, white Legion kitchen. Timber Wolf's arms were no longer wrapped around her, and she looked over her shoulder to see that Timber Wolf was already standing a few feet away, looking back at her with an eyebrow raised from her odd exclamation.

"Y-Yeah," she stuttered, smiling and quickly nodding. Timber Wolf gave her another confused look before heading back to the stove. She looked down at her cutting board to find numerous vegetables immaculately sliced and neatly shoved to the side for her to continue.

_'__Got it? Got what? What was I supposed to get?' _she thought. Lost in her fantasies, she had no idea what Timber Wolf had instructed her to do next.

She put her elbows on the counter and buried her face in her hands, sighing deeply. She would _hate_ to have to make him repeat himself – for sure he would demand why she hadn't been paying attention. One question did linger in her mind though as she peeked at Timber Wolf's back through the space between her fingers.

_How could he have that kind of effect on her?_

"I'm baaacck!" Chameleon Boy shouted as he wobbled into the kitchen with several grocery bags.

"Took you long enough," Timber Wolf grumbled, walking over to him. "Did you get all the meat?"

"You bet," Cham said as he got out each one from the bags. "Chicken, lobster, and my dad's personal favorite, Durlan duck meat!"

"And the drinks for the adults?"

"_But of course_," Cham mimicked a French accent and presented the champagne bottle with dramatic hand gestures, "_Pierre Gimonnet et Fils_."

"Alright, take over the pasta I have boiling over there while I get these simmered and seasoned..."

After a few moments, Phantom Girl cut up some more ingredients as best she could when she looked up and saw Timber Wolf toss chopped grilled meat and veggies into the air. She watched in genuine amazement as all the food landed flawlessly back onto the pan before he placed it back onto the fiery cooker.

"Wow! How did you that?" she asked, walking over to him. Timber Wolf took a second saucepan and again smoothly and expertly tossed its contents into the air.

"Wow! Wow!" was all the girl could say.

"I can show you how if you'd stop sayin' that," Timber Wolf said. He retrieved a frying pan from the cabinet and put a round flatbread on it.

"It's all in the wrist. Tilt the pan slightly towards the ground first and then -" he demonstrated for her, effortlessly making the flatbread flip twice before it landed back on the pan.

"Your turn," he handed it to her.

"Ok!" Phantom Girl bit her lip and readied herself, partially motioning the throw while mentally counting _one, two, and -!_

Instead of the flatbread simply going up and back down, it soared through the air and landed on Cham's head.

"Oh! I am _so_ sorry!" Phantom Girl cringed. She hesitantly glanced at Timber Wolf, expecting him to growl at her clumsiness, but was shocked to find him laughing.

Phantom Girl huffed and crossed her arms. "Well I'm glad you find me so amusing today," she said, rolling her eyes.

"What can I say? You're a funny girl," Timber Wolf smirked at her. Phantom Girl turned her back to him, but it was more to hide her blush as a scene from her earlier daydream flashed across her mind.

Just then, Brainiac-5 came moonwalking into the kitchen. He stopped when he came by Timber Wolf's strawberry cheesecake sitting on the counter.

"Oooh what's this?" the android said, picking up the pastry.

"Hey!" Timber Wolf barked, quickly getting to him and snatching the cake out of his hands.

"There you are Brainy," an out-of-breath Superman called from the kitchen's entrance.

"Ain't you supposed to be watching him, Supes?" Timber Wolf asked, irritated.

"Brainy get over here now!" Superman sternly warned, but the android ignored him as he performed robotic dance moves, mechanical whines sounding from his joints as he twisted and turned. Then Brainy extended his robotic arms and began opening all the kitchen cabinets and throwing their contents everywhere. Cups, plates, and cutlery went flying about, and Timber Wolf and Superman did their best to catch and save the breakables. Chameleon Boy tried to tackle Brainy but the android spun out of the way. Brainy then came by the large basket of fruits and started tossing each one behind him. Timber Wolf caught as many as he could. After a few more moments of chaos, Superman finally managed to seize Brainy, tying his wobbly arms into a knot.

"Sorry about this, guys," Clark said, exiting the kitchen carrying a kicking and screaming Brainy.

"A little help over here?" Cham and Phantom Girl turned to see Timber Wolf struggling to balance the enormous pile of fruits he had to catch.

"Right! I got the basket!" Phantom Girl went to retrieve the container, but as Timber Wolf took a step forward he slipped on one of the fruits on the floor and fell on his bottom, dropping everything he carried. Phantom Girl busted out laughing.

"It's not that funny," Timber Wolf growled.

"Hey what can I say," Phantom Girl said between laughs, "you're a funny guy!"

….. …..

"Now Brainy are you sure you're up for this? You don't have to join us," Saturn Girl asked.

"I'm fine," Brainiac-5 assured. "The Alignment is over, and I'm the only one here who can argue our case with actual data."

Phantom Girl and Saturn Girl exchanged a concerned glance before hesitantly following him toward the large, white-clothed dinner table.

The delegates arrived at six o'clock sharp, and Cosmic Boy led them into the Legion dining hall where they were greeted by nine other Legionnaires: Bouncing Boy, Triplicate Girl, Superman, Brainiac-5, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Timber Wolf, Phantom Girl, and Chameleon Boy. Cosmic Boy took his place in the middle, between Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl, and greeted the distinguished guests.

"Madame President, Mr. Brande, Secretary General, and Ambassador to the New Worlds, we are honored by your presence here this evening. We welcome you to the official headquarters of the Legion of Superheroes."

"Thank you for the cordial invitation," Winema obliged. "Shall we get started on the dinner?"

Everyone took their seats, and small, white serving drones hovered about, gently setting down the plates and glasses for the esteemed guests first before serving the Legionnaires.

"My, this looks absolutely delicious!" the Secretary General complimented. "May I inquire as to which professional catering company this was ordered from?"

"Actually Timber Wolf designed the banquet," Saturn Girl said, gesturing over to her teammate.

"Excellent, young man," the Secretary General and the three other guests clapped for Timber Wolf.

Timber Wolf sharply looked at Phantom Girl sitting beside him. "Why you kickin' me?" he hissed silently.

"Stand up and bow," Phantom Girl hissed back, smiling through clenched teeth. Timber Wolf sighed and reluctantly stood up, bowing twice before sitting back down. The applause ended and the feast began, with menial chatter until dessert time, when the serious questions began.

"Cosmic Boy, what motivated you and your colleagues, Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl," the Ambassador gestured towards the Legionnaires flanking him, "to start this superhero team?"

Cosmic Boy explained how the three of them first met and saved RJ Brande. "We realized that young people from different worlds could use their powers to protect others, and we pledged to make that our life's work."

"Saturn Girl, what's the most memorable mission you all have had?" Winema asked.

"Well, one night we stumbled upon a creepy, abandoned-looking space station – Quavermass 12. We all had to face our deepest fears, but it drew us closer as a team."

"Lightning Lad, what would you consider a major drawback for your organization?" the Secretary asked.

"Well for one our work would be a lot easier if the Science Police didn't consider us as vigilante freaks that get in the way of law enforcement. With your signatures on the charter, it will show the galaxy that we are a legitimate superhero organization that is serious about our mission."

Cosmic Boy glared at his fellow founder. They had planned that _he _would present the contract to the leaders. Cosmic Boy would have done it at the right time and _in the right tone_.

"We understand your concerns and admire your ambition," the Secretary General stated, "but before any decision is made, we need to know where your organization is headed. We need to know how effective the Legion is and how serious you are with your goals."

"If I may, sir," Brainiac-5 offered. "Our statistics show that crime rate in New Metropolis has decreased twenty-three percent since the establishment of the Legion. That is a six-fold greater outcome than what the Science Police has done in the past four decades. Not only are we stopping crime, we are preventing it."

"Alright, and where do you, Brainiac-5, see the Legion in ten years?" the Secretary inquired.

"Ten years…" Brainiac-5 said slowly, starting to fidget. "Well that's uh, that's not what I, I mean, that's quite some time from now, sixty-five carry the two add the quotient of the square root of pi which is 3.141592 –"

Everyone stared as Brainy started twitching with sparks flying out of his neck.

"Uh oh," Superman said, and tried to grab the android beside him who was jerkily rising from his seat. Brainy dodged him and jumped onto the table and started robot-dancing again, knocking over people's food and spilling drinks.

"Pie! More pie! Endless pie!" Brainy shouted, and shoved a slice of strawberry cheesecake into the Secretary General's face. Various Legionnaires got up and tried to control the situation, but the android flipped upside down onto his head and spun around the dining room like a top. The spinning knocked over Winema's chair and she fell.

"Mom!" Phantom Girl rushed over, Timber Wolf following. As they helped the President, Brainiac-5 came and stood over them.

"In the name of Pi, I now pronounce you man and wife!" the android grabbed the back of their heads and pushed their faces together.

"Oh my," Winema mumbled, a hand covering her slight smile as she witnessed her daughter kissing Timber Wolf. Timber Wolf's eyes were wide in shock and Phantom Girl's hands flailed around her.

Superman seized the opportunity to tackle Brainy. Timber Wolf and Phantom Girl gasped as they separated. They gawked at each other for a moment before looking away in embarrassment. This time Phantom Girl didn't just have a blush – her face was beet red.

Winema was about to say something when the bodyguards of the delegates rushed in.

"Hey! What's going on in here?!" one shouted. The suited men rushed over to the leaders and led them out of the Legion dining hall.

"Great, there goes our chance," Saturn Girl groaned.

"Now we get to spend yet another year of the Science Police treating us like dirt," Lightning Lad said, looking over at Brainy who was being carried away by Clark back to his holding chamber.

…..

Later that night, Phantom Girl sat alone in the Legion kitchen with her chin resting on her hands.

Timber Wolf stood at the entrance for a moment before walking over and taking a seat next to her.

"Sorry all the food went to waste," the girl said.

"It's alright," Timber Wolf shrugged. "And you?"

Phantom Girl sighed deeply. "It's just, my mom's always expected great things from me, you know? I wanted to make her see that I am doing something serious with my life. Now I'm not sure what she thinks."

Timber Wolf regarded her for a moment before looking forward, golden eyes resting on nothing in particular as he thought a bit before responding.

"Sometimes parents expect a lot out of their kids. Sometimes they want you to go one way when you want to go the other." Phantom Girl looked at Timber Wolf, remembering what his father put him through.

"But you're happy here," he said, looking back at her. "And I'm happy here. That's all that matters. Maybe one day, our parents will see that."

Phantom Girl looked at her teammate, taking in his words. "Thank you," she smiled.

The two Legionnaires sat there in silence for a few more moments until Timber Wolf stood up.

"We never did eat our dessert. There's still some strawberry cheesecake left. How about we have dessert together? Just the two of us." Timber Wolf offered his hand to Phantom Girl, who smiled as she took it.

"I'd like that."

…..

Note: The next story/chapter will contain mature content. Pretty nervous about it so no flames por favore, grazie.


End file.
